Is Europe rushing headlong into economic destruction?

Walking through the charming cobblestoned streets of the Old City in Tallinn in Estonia, it is hard to figure out that this is part of a European economy in crisis.

The street cafes and curio shops are bustling with tourists, mostly from other northern European countries; gorgeous young women dressed in the latest fashions walk smartly towards their destinations; the restaurants and malls are brimming with consumers; and there are few if any overt signs of increased unemployment or poverty or even more material insecurity.

Yet, this probably shows how appearances can deceive, and especially deceive the casual visitor.

Image: A view at a restaurant in Toompea, Harju County, part of Talinn's Old City.